A Land of Ice
by thatdamnedfool
Summary: Hyrule has fallen. Only the princess Zelda remains as the last remnant of the old order. The Red King pursues her relentlessly north, a land of strange people and even stranger gods. Her only hope at survival lies in her guide, a hunter called Link. As the world falls apart around them, the pair find themselves stuck between the new King and the creatures beneath the ice.
1. Prologue

**Here's my new story. I hope you all enjoy. Let me know what you think and if you like it be sure to follow or fav, it would make my ego very happy.**

* * *

Prologue- The End of Times

How has it come to this?

Twenty long years of peace and prosperity at an end, I was only a young man in the last Great War. When I look back it now, I was a child playing at being a soldier. All the friends I lost and all the blood spilled seems meaningless now. In just a few weeks the enemy have overrun every part of Hyrule waiting till the last minute to rush Hyrule Castle.

This Kingdom has been here for thousands of years, its castle a beacon of civilization, a place where all could look to with wonder and hope. For the past twenty years I swore an oath to protect it from enemy forces. It fell in less than a day.

I should have been there with my King, fighting to the last breath, perhaps to join my brothers in whatever lays beyond the land of those with hot breath still in their lungs. Whilst I walk all my regrets haunt me but there is little time, I have to get her safe, I have to get her north.

I've heard the stories, every child has. We all doubted them as children but as I travel further and further north I feel a sinking sensation in the bottom of my chest. The very air seems to still here; moving slower than normal and I find myself on edge constantly. I feel eyes from the very grass and hills, like the earth itself is alive and watching.

Still despite all my thoughts I cannot help but be captivated by the beauty before me. The hills gently roll up and covered in rich green grass, hemmed with beautiful wild flowers that burst from ground with unorthodox colours of deep purple and blood red. The soil beneath my feet is a deep rich black that would've excited my father back while I still lived on the farm. If not for the stories I would think it strange that the slopping hills remain wild, staring blindly in defiance of all those who oppose it.

The grand mountains in the distance glazed with a thick snow on their peaks, look down with ominous foreign beauty. From here they make the peaks of Hebra look like the mudcastles I made as a child during those hot summer days. I can only imagine what lurks within those sheer stone walls.

The princess is not far behind, her head sinks low and each step has now turned to a weak shuffle. I cannot imagine how difficult the past few days have been for her. All she has known, her whole world has been utterly obliterated within days and something strange and perverted has taken its place. Now I am the only thing she has left and even I must leave her soon.

It has been several days since we were last separated from the other remaining resistance forces. The danger of trying to reunite with them through Hyrule is too great. I know the Red King will be desperate to capture the last remaining figurehead of the old order of Hyrule. With Zelda the last hope for Hyrule lies.

Rhoam made me promise to keep her safe and I tried my best but in the end my attempts were futile. We tried to make it to the coast on the east where the God's Road stretches north but the Red King had known before even taking Castletown. Separated from the others and with the men I used to call brothers snapping at our heels I had no choice.

Long ago Rhoam talked of a knight that played a huge role in the last defeat of the red king and relinquished his oaths long ago. I've heard the stories of this man, some even make the claim that it was a just a child, blessed by the goddess herself. I do not know why such a warrior was not present during the battle for the castle but I have no choice to search for him. The King once talked of a home in a grove on the border of Hyrule and the North. It is a shot in the dark but it is the only choice that remains to me.

I hear a noise behind and turn back. Zelda is kneeling in the dirt looking up at me with tearful eyes. I would do anything to take her right now in my arms, like my own little girl but she is a woman now and soon to be the queen. Royal etiquette is the only grasp I have left on any semblance of order we had in the past. This feeling I get when I look at her crying makes me think of my own family. I hope they have made it past the border and onto the Gods' Road.

"Princess?" I kneel down before her.

She looks up at me and for a second I see the desperation and sadness behind those green eyes. Within seconds the tears dry and her face returns to its normal reserved self. I cannot help but smile at her. I have protected the princess for many years and even now in her darkest hour she still finds a way to put on a brave face and keep going.

"It's not far just one more hill left and we'll get there…" I say as I help up holding her trembling arms.

She nods to me to carry on and I begin to walk once again up the ragged stones. I glance back more regularly over the next few minutes but she seems to have straightened up significantly. Every so often she catches my concerned stare and her face becomes even more resolute. My wish is to comfort her in some way but I was trained to fight and protect not to offer emotional support.

Eventually she can't take the silence and speaks up: "Rocco…"

I look back but try to keep up the pace. It's unlikely we're being followed on our strange route but I'm not willing to take any chances, she needs rest and a warm bed. More than anything she needs safety

"What is it princess?" I ask.

There is a long silence and I turn once more to see if everything is okay. The princess' face is twisted with pain. I have seen that expression before but not on her. It looks as though she is trying to force her way through it.

"Where are we going?" she asks with an edge of curiosity that I can only help but entertain. It will be good to keep her mind off all that's happened.

"The Land to the North" I say. "It goes by many names, the Land of Giants, the Land where Time Sits Still and the Old World. Most today know it by one name though."

"The Land of Ice…" Zelda whispers. "I always preferred the others."

I laugh surprising both of us. It has been some time since I have heard the noise. The noise of it echoes out into the air until it is devoured by silence.

We keep climbing the hill. The grassy slope turns a little steeper and rocks begin to jut out of the earth. The path begins to veer to the left. Rocks and pebbles along the path begin to get fewer and fewer, as though the ground itself is swallowing them up.

"Tell me about it," she calls out.

"Princess I'm sure your teacher told you. You probably know the stories better than I do," I reply.

There's not a soul in Hyrule who doesn't know them. They aren't the type of tales that are written down but told father to child, no one really knows what the truths are and where the myths end. All I know is the people and creatures of the North are stranger than any of the Gorons or Birdmen I've seen.

"Please… tell them to me like you did when I was a child," she says. I hear the tremble in her voice reminding me just how vulnerable she is right now.

I remember when she was a girl. It was a few years before I had a daughter of my own. I was a staunch man when I was appointed to her, devoid of any real emotion but even the driest of knights would've been broken down by the young princess. It was only a few weeks before I was telling her stories every night. I have my doubts if I would even have had a daughter, if not for my time spent with her.

I clear my throat and begin like all those years ago, "We are taught by the priestesses and books that in the beginning there were only three goddesses but that is not true. Long ago across the great ocean to the east there is a land far older than our own where ancient gods battled giant leviathans. These creatures dominated the oceans with their merciless teeth, frozen breath and even boiling the seas with pure fury. Tired from constant battle some of the gods fled the old lands and settled to the North of the newly created Hyrule. They looked upon the lands of Hyrule and the creatures within them with envy but fearing another war they simply created creatures of their own.

"The Northern lands were prosperous for some time but the gods were flawed. Soon they began to battle like they once did, only this time amongst themselves. They twisted their creations in the sole purpose of war until eventually they became monstrous creations unrecognisable from the beauty they once had. Only the men and giants remained uncorrupted as the rest were driven to insanity. The Gods ashamed of their ways retreated to the forest, mountains and depths never to interfere again. But the lands never recovered and have been frozen in time ever since."

"Have you ever seen a man or even a giant?" Zelda murmurs half consciously. She could probably recite the story herself but perhaps like us all she wants to remember some form of normalcy. If my voice can do that for her then so be it.

"The city of Svartrjǫrð is near here, I have met men from there but few have ever seen a giant. They are a private race that keeps to their own" I say as I finally peak the hill looking over a small lake.

Trees cling from the base of the waters to the sheer slopes of the hills that form a small grove. I see the small roof of a hut just next to the lake. It has to be what the King was talking about. It fits the description perfectly.

"Rocco..." Zelda reaches my side. "We've not been going towards Svartrjǫrð, where are we really going?"

I feel her eyes question me but something inside stops me from saying what is about to happen.

"Follow me. No more questions now."

My pace gets a little more frantic and I already feel anxious to return back to the chaos in the south. Salvage what little I can from the aftermath. I just hope this warrior is just borne straight from the stories. He needs to be strong to keep the princess safe. Soon we will be ready to fight back, but for now she needs to hide.

As trees surround us I can hear a sound that takes me back to my childhood, of axe cracking through wood and the clonk of it hitting the pile. I remember those days where all we worried about was getting through the short winters.

The woodland gives way to a small clearing. I see the source of the noise, his axe raised high for one last thwomp. As I call out he turns slowly blinking through sweat.

It's time. I take my cloak off revealing the garb underneath, my red crest of the loftwing no doubt making it obvious who I am.

His face stares at it and grimaces. He looks…annoyed?

I gesture for the princess to stay where she is and approach tentatively keeping my hands low to the ground. He slams the axe down onto the chopping block and for the first time I see his face properly.

He's young, looks old enough to be one of the late trainees in the academy. Ears point out from the sides of his head elegantly and piercing blue eyes stare across at me silently. Though his skin is clear and youthful there is something old and tired in his face.

His back stays straight and shoulders stay rounded and rolled back relaxed making him just as tall as me. As I continue to approach he scratches his cleanly shaven face and ties his hair back neatly behind his head.

"How's it go there?" I call out to him.

"When I said your kind weren't welcome I meant it, I don't care what the king says," His voice appears to sound freshly broken but there is something about it and it's not the slight north Hylian accent. The words themselves carry a weight I've heard before but cannot place.

"I mean no offence; I'm only looking for someone." I put my hands to my belt, my sword handle tingling against my left wrist.

"I'm the only one here," he says returning to his work casually.

"Looks that way," I remark awkwardly. "Look… I need to find an old knight, an experienced warrior. Do you know of such a man he should have lived around here?"

His face has turned grim changing as fast as a lamp turns on and off and he scratches his forehead. "The man you're looking for died years ago, I suggest you return home and get the king to find someone else to fight his wars."

"No," I mumble absently. "That doesn't make any sense."

This can't be happening. The only hope I had left blown out like a flimsy match. He watches my distress with a new interest.

I stare at him for a few moments. His calloused hands and athletic figure and my mind begins to whir. All I need to do is keep the princess safe while I spend some time gathering support. When the heat of her pursuers dies down there may be a chance smuggle her to the god's road.

"What's your name boy?"

He scowls. "Call me boy again and you can ask the gods what Rhoam meant when he said there was a warrior around here."

"Please this is important,"

Watching for a few moments finally he relents. "My Hylian name is Link."

"Link… You know this land well yes…?"

He eyes me cautiously, "Better than most. I don't like where this is going."

"That girl there is the princess. If she is taken by the red king the world will fall into a new dark age," I spit my words the second they come to my mind.

Link holds up his hands in front as though he is creating a wall between us, "Woah, slow down. What has that got to do with me?"

"I need you to get her to safety… please," I beg him.

"If we're talking about the red king I'm not too sure where 'safety' is."

He's right the red king is not one to relent when he wants something. Such a man would chase the princess to the ends of the earth, just to see her dead at his feet. I cannot think how someone of such evil could be born to this world but the desert he comes from is a harsh place, especially for men.

"Our forces will assemble at Veðrness—" I start.

"You have to be joking Veðrness?" he shakes his head and picks up another block of wood. "You're going in the wrong direction '_friend'._ The only way there is along the coast and that lies on the other side of the Pyke Mountains."

"I don't need you to take her across the mountains, I just need you to keep her safe for a few weeks and then smuggle her to the God's road when the Red King's men have left this area."

Link snaps another wood block in two with a swift stroke. "Why don't you just smuggle her back through Hyrule to the God's Road now."

"We can't go back into Hyrule." I say quietly.

"Why not you're a knight?"

"**Hyrule has fallen,**" I say loudly confirming what I haven't wanted to admit in my mind, I was too afraid. I look over to the princess who is fixated on the conversation she can't hear.

"We can't go back," I repeat retracting in my body. "I need to gather any support I can within the country and I can't do that with the princess. She's in too much danger; the Red King will be desperate to capture her."

"If Hyrule has fallen that means…"

I nod to the question I already know is to be asked.

He sighs grimly, "Fine she can stay here with me until the patrols die down. From there we should be able to cross back into Hyrule. This time I'll have to make it clear I'm doing no more favours for the Rhoam."

He begins to leave but stops as I say, "The king is dead."

Link stares at me for a few seconds and then nods respectfully. "I'm sorry. It's best you say goodbye to the girl now."

He disappears into the hut and for the first time since leaving the castle my muscles begin to cry out in pain. The cold is finally settling into my burning body.

"Who is that Rocco?" Zelda asks moving next to me.

Like a coward I cannot meet her eyes, "His name is Link. He knows the area. You can stay with him for a few days, just until everything settles, then he'll take you to safety."

"Rocco you don't mean—"

"Here is where I must part ways with you little princess." I catch her pleading stare finally.

"No. Please. Listen," she begins.

I wave her quiet. "My body is not what it used to be and I will just slow the two of you down. The Red King will already know you have fled and riders will pursue you relentlessly. We have to act with decisiveness and strength even whilst we seem weak. You will hide here with Link, I will head into the Kingdom and gather any remaining resistance. If we trust in Hylia I will see you in Veðrness."

Zelda looks me dead in the face. Any emotion she was withholding during our journey is now released from her eyes and her face begins to catch the light in a sheen. "Please… don't leave me."

My heart begins to wrench but I grab her shoulders firmly to more to keep my own resolve than to strengthen hers. I know now just how afraid I am.

"You have to be strong, you have to survive," My voice begins to break but I press on. "This is our only hope."

I throw manners to the winds as I take her into my arms like I would do to my daughter. A sob echoes in my ear and I close my eyes. When I release it may be the last time we ever see each other. All I can hope is that it is her not me who will survive the coming war.

"Goodbye princess," I say.

"Rocco…"

My face turns firm as my gaze locks to Link. He watches from a distance, expression flat and unreadable. I nod to him respectfully, knowing he will not return it and then turn my back on them both. My next breath in doesn't seem to end as I know what comes next for me will not be easy. But the task that lies before the princess is a greater burden then most could imagine.

If they do not make it to Veðrness two moons from now the world as we know it will fall.


	2. Chapter 1: Across the Threshold

**A/N: Sorry for the huge delay after this chapter I should be uploading regularly. But I hope you all enjoy. Thank you for all the reviews, favourites and follows they're all super appreciated. I'll respond to all the reviews via PM unless I think there's a question/response everyone might want to see and/or you're a guest.**

**Guest: Thanks I'm glad you like it :)**

* * *

Chapter 1: Across the Threshold

_This will be my first entry in some time. I have hardly been able to sit and think, let alone write thoughts down. Things seemed to have settled, at least for now._

_Father would want me to be strong but I can't help but feel so broken. Every time I glance at the doorway I expect his large, warm figure to be there, watching over me. Part of me still hasn't accepted that I will never see him again._

_Father lived through so many troubles over his life, from the civil war to the rise of the red king. Everyone had expected to see peace for generations. Now the Red King has returned somehow with double the strength and all that is left of the royal family is me. All I can think is how unprepared I am for this task. My father had years of training and leading and still he was incapable of defeating the King of the western deserts. I was never trained to defend myself; I was never even trained to run. Apparently all I have to do is survive the next two moons but I am unsure if I can even do that. _

_Rocco has left me with a hunter called Link. Though his hut isn't much like the lavish rooms of the castle, I like it here. It's hardly like I can be picky but, the hut and the surrounding area has a certain peace to it. When I listen out to the silence it is not as intimidating as it once was. Every morning I go out before the mist descends I go out by the lake and look at the far mountains. It's as though I expect the gods of these lands to come down themselves and greet me. There is something about their size that draws me to them. Most of the Hylians that leave to explore them are never seen again, or return mad and shrieking._

_I only hope I could go outside more and explore the grove but Link has deemed it too dangerous. I understand but often it gets lonely here._

_Every day he goes out in the early hours to hunt and returns in the evenings with a few rabbits and, roots I've never seen before. When he is in the hut he says nothing to me. The only noises I can get out of him are grunts or if I'm lucky orders. I cannot help but feel unwanted here, like I am some annoying cat in his household. Perhaps that is the true reason why Rocco left me here._

_Back in the capital I was always good at one thing and it was people. For me everyone was just like a door ready and welcoming to be open. Every interaction with Link has been shut down instantly. My only activity is to watch him skin and cook our meals. At least I know something other than his name: the boy sure can eat. I've hardly sat down before he's already eaten through the four portions on his plate._

_It is not that I am not grateful for him housing me here but I cannot understand how someone so young has excluded themselves to such a tiny corner of the world. If I was alone here I would go mad in week. His life is one of constant repetition, as though his soul has left him and only the mechanical part of him remains, whirring away at his simple life_

_There are so many questions I have about him, though if I am to get any answers, I doubt they will come willingly._

_All I know is that I count the days until I return to the faces I know and love._

Zelda slammed her journal shut as Link entered through the door carrying two pigeons. She stared at him sheepishly, words as caught in her mouth just as they always seemed to be in his.

Link glanced at her for a few moments. Then his eyes moved steadily back to the hearth and began to poke it carefully. The embers glowed eagerly as he plunged a log into the centre and sat back plucking the birds with sudden violent motions.

Zelda sat opposite watching the flames occasionally darting her eyes up to where the hunter sat. Quietly she hoped that her eyes might catch his, find some in, a way to make these lonely evenings a little more bearable.

Somewhere within like the growing fire in front the urge to talk became greater and greater, until soon she could take the silence no longer. Her eyes darted up once more and she took one quick breath, as though to whisper words of encouragement to herself.

"Lived here long…?" Zelda turned her face quickly hoping he couldn't see it twist a way only comparable to someone who'd broken their arm.

Silence dragged out. Even the soft noise of the feathers being plucked had stopped. A voice in Zelda's head repeated "Idiot, idiot, idiot" over and over again until the word had lost all meaning to her.

"Long enough it belonged to my mother,"

Zelda looked up in shock. Link's eyes stared back at her, big and blue, the flames of the hearth dancing in them happily. His voice was softer than she'd ever heard or expected.

"So you've lived here your whole life?"

"No," he said flatly not inviting further discussion and returned to plucking the bird.

"Great…" she thought and swallowed not sure if it was colder inside by the hearth with him or out in the northern night.

It was obvious he had less interest talking to her about himself then he did in moving anywhere outside of this tiny corner of the world. As for Zelda it seemed she'd be trapped here for months, resigned to staring at a wall all day. She leant back in quickly.

"Rocco said you knew the area well…"

"Yes," Link said paying more attention to his menial task.

"What's the plan here," Zelda asked, any timid quality evaporating from her voice. "How many days are we here for?"

"However many it takes," Link responded dryly, plucking the feathers out in big handfuls.

Zelda could feel it stir in her chest making it tighten, making her hands clench to hide her shaking. Everything that had happened over the past few days and she was left with someone who didn't even want to hear her voice.

"How many is that?" she asked not hiding her annoyance anymore.

"I don't know," Link replied, violently ripping out another tuff of feathers.

"Of course," Zelda snapped. "You probably don't know a thing."

Link stopped pulling out feathers and sat in silence. Zelda stared at his downturned head and only felt her frustration grow with each painful second, growling at her like a unstoppable hunger.

"Look at me," she said gesturing to the room. "I've lost everything and now I've finally been left behind by the only person I care about who's still alive. Left here with you, someone who would rather be buried under fifty feet of snow then spend time sheltering me. I don't know what drove you to agree to this but it's clear you want less to do with me than I do to you. But trust me I wouldn't want to be near me either; anyone within a mile radius of me just seems to die anyway."

The fire crackled wildly, spitting out onto the flat stones around it. Flashes of the orange glow illuminated the wooden wall Zelda stared at, watching the shadows dance in its glare. She used to find peace in watching them but now they only revealed horrors and memories she didn't want to even think about.

"You're safe here," Link said, standing to meet her level

Zelda finally relented and turned to meet his eyes, "You don't know what's coming Link… I'm not safe anywhere."

"If we keep down and keep quiet, you'll be safe her, you just have to trust me on that," he said as Zelda's head already began to overflow with regret, "I made something for you."

He walked off to the stairs to the attic and reached underneath retrieving a small bundle. Zelda almost shrieked as it came hurtling towards her but she caught it last minute.

"The cold can be unforgiving, especially for southerners," he said. "This should make the land a little more bearable."

Zelda unravelled the cloak. I was lined with a thick fur she'd never seen before. Tracing her fingers through it she could almost feel the warmth reverberate back onto her hands. On the other side it held some kind of thick brown cloth that would help keep off rain or worse.

"Thank you, it's beautiful," She stared at Link in disbelief. "Link… I'm—"

Link smiled mutedly. If you had focused just on his lips the smile came off warmly but there was something in his eyes that betrayed whatever was hidden beneath the layers he'd built up living in a place like this.

"Get some rest," Link said and began to pull off the last remaining feathers.

Any sign of talk no matter how little was welcome. She lay back on the furs feeling the warmth of the hearth against her left cheek and allowed herself to relax. For some strange reason despite everything that had happened she felt safe here.

She fell into a deep slumber of mysterious monsters hidden within the mountains and gods gone crazy from seeing too much.

* * *

A tunnel stretched out beneath her and she walked into the darkness, feeling her way with the uneven rocky walls. Drips of water echoed down the cavern but she continued to walk down drawn in by the darkness before her.

The rocks surrounding her were slick and covered in wet slime that took every ounce of concentration to not yank away from. Worse of all was the noises though. Rocks seemed to scatter everywhere and her mind played tricks, inventing echoing whispers and clicks.

From deep within the cave someone was groaning, a whimpering of pain and fear. Zelda continued to walk down until the noise lay at her feet.

She reached out to feel the soft texture of a cloak, the warmth of a body reverberating from beneath. Then the whimpers cut short and two yellow lights blinked open from in front.

Zelda stumbled backwards trying to find her way to her feet and the unmistakable glowing eyes followed her.

The sound of her breath panting heavily echoed around the cave adding the only other sounds. She heard clicks from the eyes and then they were joined with another pair.

Panic began to fill her as she scrambled for the walls but there were gone and she fell again only darkness surrounding her.

More yellow eyes blinked open, clicking and staring. Zelda yelled at them but the only continued to stare, unfazed. Soon eyes completely surrounded her, as she curled up into a ball and watched them scurry towards her, clicking, eyes opening closing. Off, on, off, on.

She balled up until all that was left to do was scream.

* * *

"Wake up," Link hissed shaking her from whatever world she had just been in.

Zelda's breath shortened a little with the contact and wiped the sleep from her eyes. She sat up staring at Link dead in the face. It was etched with concern and just like every time before she was desperate to explore those pained eyes.

"They're here," Link rushed over to the stairs and grabbed his axe. "Gods I didn't expect them this soon."

The severity settled in and Zelda began to look around in a frenzy. What was even the point, if she found a weapon it was hardly like she'd be able to defend herself? Wielding a sword wasn't really on the princess curriculum.

"What do we do?" she asked, wide eyed.

"You need to get out of sight," he placed a hand on her back and moved her gently to the space beneath the stairs.

"Don't come out until I say so," Link growled. "If a day passes and you hear nothing then leave and try to make your way to Svartrjǫrð you might be able to find shelter there."

"Link…"

"Stay quiet," Link placed a pile of furs in front plunging her into darkness. Zelda clung to her knees quietly and listened out into the eerie silence.

Only minutes passed but the silence dragged on into small eternities until finally Zelda heard the tones of Link's voice.

"How goes there!" he called.

The sound of horses clambering to a stop could be heard and one man dismounted.

"You own this property boy?" a gruff voice asked.

"What of it?" Link replied.

A far more regal voice rang out, "We are here to let the people of Hyrule know that the King is dead and you answer to the Red King now."

"This is not Hyrule friend," Link said flatly.

There was a pause before the crack of a slap could be heard making Zelda wince and cling to her knees more tightly.

"There will be no tolerance for insolence. The Red King owns whatever lands he lays his eyes upon and as a Hylian of age you will answer to the levy decree," the rich voice shrieked.

"If I go with you, who will look after the land?" Link asked.

Hands clapped together enthusiastically, "If you have no one to look after the household then the crown will take ownership of your land and lease it to whoever desires it. But regardless you will answer to the academy immediately, the King needs soldiers and no man above the age of 16 will be exempt from the call."

"Do I not get time to pack up my things?"

"Ah!" he replied. "Of course, of course. There's just one last question. Shall we sit?"

There was a long pause this time but as the man continued Link must've nodded or just accepted he didn't have a choice but to hear the soldier out. Chair screeched across the floor biting into Zelda's eardrums.

"We've heard reports of a household harbouring enemies of the crown. Is there any chance you've seen a girl around this area, perhaps accompanied by a knight."

Zelda's hands began to shake violently. She grabbed a clump of furs squeezing so tightly she expected to kill the beast all over again. All concentration went to gleaning whatever she could from the voices and keeping her breath quiet.

"A girl and a knight?" Link said. "I don't think so I would've noticed something like that."

There was a short laugh from several men before the man spoke up between gasps of air, "I'm sure you would, it must get lonely out here in the wild by yourself, and at such an age. Even if we were to find enemies of the state here, I doubt a smart lad like yourself would've been stupid enough to keep them under your roof intentionally. Perhaps you may have seen something unusual over the past few days."

"The game around here has been more spooked than usual but other than that—"

"Excellent," a ringed hand slammed against the wooden table. "Then you will have no objection to us searching the place."

Link began to speak up but already she could hear the clash of furniture.

Zelda almost gasped but bit down hard on her arm until tears formed in her eyes. She took her breaths slowly and attempted to wrestle with her unruly heart.

"Of course not," Link replied through the grit of his teeth. "Be my guest."

Clanging and ruffling of prying hands could be heard all around. It was only a matter of time and the soldiers would be on her. It was foolish to stay here for so long. Of course the Red King would leave no stone unturned in his desire for absolute power.

What if Link had led them here himself, given her in already and was just playing games now, lulling her into a sense of self-comfort before selling her to the enemy. She didn't know anything about him, how foolish she'd been to trust him. She should've insisted she stayed with Rocco. Acted with bravery like the leader she was supposed to be. Instead she had hid here like a coward, expecting everything to solve itself.

Breathing moved in front of her and she clasped a hand to her face the darkness seeming to press up against her face.

"Come look at this!"

Suddenly there was a shout then a gurgle.

"You stupid boy," the man shrieked.

There was a battle cry from one side of the room as boots thundered across the wooden floor. It was cut short and followed by a harsh thump. There were another series of clangs and bashes before the noises moved outside.

Zelda couldn't take another second of it. She pushed the furs away blinking through the flooding light and watched as the colours came rushing back.

Outside one of the soldiers was bloody and red in the face. She saw the head of Link's axe hook under the leg of the other assailant and he slammed to the ground. Zelda turned away as she heard the axe crack into skull.

The sound of hooves flying across the dirt and the yells of the visitor on top echoed from outside. Zelda rushed to the doorway as Link grunted with frustration releasing one arrow, two arrows, a third. Each found their mark in the riders back but he was already out of the clearing on into the morning air.

Link's shoulders moved up and down in rapid motions as he panted heavily in front.

Zelda rushed towards him, "Are you—"

Link turned and for a moment his face was utterly wild, making Zelda take several steps backwards. Slowly the humanity began to return to the boy's face and soon Zelda began to notice the carnage around them. There were three dead bodies. The hunter had managed to best four fully grown soldiers without a scratch and with nothing but a woodcutting axe. Zelda stared at him with shock.

"You're bleeding," she said reaching up to his bloodstained face.

Link caught her hand mid-air and looked back to where the last soldier had escaped.

"Not my blood," he said grimly. "Gather your things; we'll have to leave for Svartrjǫrð now if you're to survive the night."

Zelda nodded and returned to the cabin, gathering as many of her items as she could whilst trying to ignore the dead eyes of the men who had once been her fathers.

They climbed the cress of the hill and crossed the cross roads. Zelda stared back at the hut one last time as she crossed the dirt path, following Link into the north.


	3. Chapter 2: The Wolves at out Heels

**A/N**

**SJJ: Thanks, more is coming!**

**Random Reader: Thanks, I can't wait to flesh out the world more.**

**Other than that I think I've responded to all the non-guest reviews. ****Thanks the response has been great. I didn't expect a fic outside of the games to get any interest at all, so its a nice surprise.**

* * *

Chapter 2: The Wolves at our Heels

They rose above the mist leaving the grove far behind. Every few seconds Zelda looked back and watched the last remnants of her kingdom fade away into nothing. It had been just days since her home had been lost. She didn't even want to think about what was happening to the people inside.

When she closed her eyes she could almost feel her room around her. A warm comfortable fire in one corner, throwing a warm glow onto the rich tapestries and a bed of Rito feathers that seemed to envelop her with a safe shell.

"Damn it," Link swore and spat on the grass.

The realisation of reality came back in a cold wave as Zelda vacantly stared at Link.

"The fog isn't thick enough. We can be seen for miles." He grumbled looking towards the hills as though leviathans were about to burst out of the thick rock and bear their vicious fangs.

"Should we hide?" Zelda asked.

Link stared at her like the frightened child she was, "There's not enough time we need to run."

He grabbed her arm and pulled her along for a few feet until he seemed happy with the pace. Though the slope looked gentle, it drew strength from Zelda's legs, until they became filled with the burning pain she'd grown to know well over the past few weeks.

Every time she turned back the feeling of the warmth and comfort faded slowly, until it seemed a memory she had lost some time ago. She knew Hyrule Castle was probably the most dangerous place in the world for her right now but she felt a voice in her head scream with anguish at each step away.

"Faster," Link growled.

Zelda obeyed, her body seemed to detach itself from her mind. Legs whirring mechanically beneath her propelling her along after Link's flowing cloak.

He glided across the grass with an ethereal grace. Even his feet didn't seem to make contact with the ground like it was just an extension of himself.

They crossed hill after hill until Link seemed comfortable and sat leant back against a rock breathing heavily.

"I was beginning to think you weren't hylian," Zelda panted.

She watched a slight grin form on his face before it was heavily subdued. Link stared out over the landscape below for a few moments.

When Zelda's breath finally returned to normal she joined him. The fog had finally cleared and the land opened up in front. For a moment she forgot how to breathe again.

The Fell Mountains still stretched out along the east, the world's biggest wall separating her from the last remnants of the Hylian loyalists. But Goddesses was it eerily beautiful. Staring at them made you forget you even existed at all. In a way that was what she needed right now.

From where they were the hill began to descend down into a gully. Surrounding it, a mess of trees, twigs and bushes sprawled out clinging to the flat ground.

"That over there is Svartrjǫrð," Link said calmly watching her with curiosity.

Above the gully, sat on a hillock, a palisade faced towards them, made from a deep dark wood. Various torches sparked out along the side as the day finally drew to a close. From behind the wall Zelda could just about see the peaks of roofs looking out.

Right at the back of the settlement the ground raised even further revealing houses in full. They were much like Link's hut, stretched out and long, but even from here she could tell the ones in Svartrjǫrð were much larger.

The town itself was modest in size compared to Castletown but much larger than most of the other settlements in Hyrule. The only thing she knew about Svartrjǫrð was that it was the biggest human settlement west of the Fells.

"What's it like? Are there men there… are there giants?" Zelda babbled.

"I'd be surprised if there giants," Link chuckled. "It's best you stay away from humanity for now; they don't have the same morals or beliefs as us."

"What do you mean?"

"It means we don't mix well. They don't see things as black and white as you southerners, and it's why we're going to try to hide these?" He flicked his pointed ears.

"Humans don't have ears?!"

He stared at her in disbelief.

"They don't teach you much about the north do they…?" Link was visibly grinning now. "Their ears are a little like the Shieka, it's the most notable difference, and the last thing we need right now is to look different."

Zelda suddenly felt a tremor in her legs and looked down at them. When she looked back at Link, his face had dropped completely.

"We need to move now," he said flatly.

The tremor hadn't been in her leg.

As hill began to slope downwards, Zelda felt her legs picking up speed. A silent hand pulled them forwards, faster and faster. Link turned back and his face twisted in a mixture of fear and hate.

"Don't look back, just keep moving," Link yelled.

She could hear heavy thumping behind her. It was an all familiar sound. Before it had just been a minor annoyance but now it was like a buzzing swarm in her ear. Zelda wanted to look back desperately; it played on her mind like a never ending itch.

Link was aiming for the woodland at the bottom of the slope. It was a tangled mess of roots, bushes and branches sloping to the floor. The only chance they had of escaping horses.

"Not much further," he called. Each time he glanced back his face became grimmer than the last. His teeth were clenched in the same animalistic snarl she'd seen after he'd fought off the soldiers.

Finally the itch became too much and Zelda took a quick peak behind her.

The riders leaned forwards faces obscured by thick dark metallic helmets. It was as though nothing remained underneath the gaps in the workmanship. All that was left was a chilling darkness. From the helmets grew curved sharp horns that clawed towards the sky.

Worst of all were the eyes of the horses. They were no longer anything from this world. The eyes of an animal that could think and run freely were now replaced by glowing red-purple coals that burned with unrestricted hate.

Breath caught in her throat until she let out a pathetic choke and she felt her legs give way beneath. As she felt herself thump and roll across the floor. Link cried out in alarm and lunged towards her but nothing connected. Soon darkness enveloped her vision, leaving only the memory of those hating red-purple eyes in her mind.

* * *

Zelda woke up cold and afraid.

The ringing in her ears slowly disappeared, leaving her in horrifying silence. Branches and leaves had collected in her hair, leaving it a tangled mess. Every muscle in her body cried with pain and she groaned with the first attempt to stand.

Meagre light from the evening sky barely reached the floor and Zelda squinted though it to gain at least some understanding of what was around. Slowly the adrenalin from before began to catch up with her remembering all that had just happened.

The stalled breath in her body began to ricochet around as she started to panic again. Link was nowhere to be seen and she doubted the riders would let some bushes get in their way.

Zelda began to run. Her legs wobbled under the strain and the fear welled in her stomach until she felt a throbbing sickness. A foot later and she was already leant on a tree vomiting.

There was only one thought left in her head, she was pathetic. All her life she had been sheltered, with not a fear in the world. All it had taken was just a little amount of pressure her body had given in.

She thumped to the ground and tears began to well up and roll leaving warm streaks down her cheeks. Soon they caught the cold air and dried to her face leaving no comfort behind.

As she sat there for what felt like hours. She glanced down a dried creek and waited to see the familiar shapes of Rocco or her father walk down towards her. To come forwards and hold her, tell her that the kingdom had been saved and that the nightmare of the past few days had finally come to an end.

Deep down Zelda knew the tears were wasted. Neither of them were coming, and she was alone for the first time.

She wiped away her frozen tears and began to make her way through the maze of pointed trees. Snaps and cracks echoed all around her causing a wild desperation to get out. The world itself seemed to close around her, like the sky had descended to watch her downwards spiral. Sudden thoughts of the horned men jolted through her mind quickening her step until she hobbled along, one leg moving more eagerly than the other.

Her task was to last two months out here in the north. All she had managed was a few days. Now here she was hobbling desperately though the wild searching for help that wasn't there.

Zelda resisted the urge to let out another sob and began to steady her breaths. There was still some comfort to be found in the little things she could control.

"Okay… We're going to be okay…" She thought to herself and she let out a long breath of temporary relief.

There was a loud crack to the side. Hands closed around her mouth supressing a yelp. Her legs dragged across the ground. Roots and fallen branches dug into her skin making her wince in pain. Zelda struggled fiercely against her captor kicking and wiggling to get out of his grasp.

It was all in vain when soon she found the dark shapes of the roots overhead, as the meagre light was soon shut out. She was underneath a tree.

Her eyes widened with panic as she stared into the dark face of her capturer. As his face came into the faint light, relief flooded her body.

Link raised a finger to his lips and she nodded with response. His hands came off her mouth calmly. It felt as though she had just come up for air after a long dive but she resisted the urge to gasp.

"Try to keep quiet we're not alone here," Link whispered across to her.

"Link look…" Zelda began to explain, guilt already swelling up for all the trouble she had caused.

"Look princess," Link said flexing his bowstring. "There's a lot of danger out here, most of it is going to try to kill us. I'm not expecting you to strike it all down, it's just…"

He stared at her, considering her with each second.

"I don't think it's much to ask for you to just stay near me. And not pass out at the first sign of danger."

Zelda looked down at the dirt ground in shame, "I'm sorry I'm just not used to this. I wish I could do it better but—"

Link was ignoring her again and she could feel her frustration rise just like before. It wasn't like she had been taught any of this. She'd always been fascinated by the wild, but it was always seen as unregal to find how survive in the woods. She'd always considered herself above the 'flower like' princess image most people had, apparently not.

"Are you even listening to me?" Zelda demanded.

The hunter ignored her and stared out into the dark expanse of the forest, his hands gripped tightly on a bow. She followed his sight and saw the figure on the other side of the creek.

The first thing Zelda noticed was the noise it made. It was even clumsier than her, stumbling through the wilderness inelegantly. It reacted to each branch like an irritating insect, swatting at it in frustration.

Most notable of all though was the breathing. It came out in rasps like an old dying man.

It was one of the riders before, horned helmet that betrayed no features behind it and the dark grey metal armour that clung to its body like skin. The figure was about twice the size of Link and in its hand it held a vicious mace that seemed to stare back at her.

"What are they?" Zelda whispered.

"Don't you recognise them?" Link stared grimly as ever out from the darkness. "They're your father's elite guards."

"I don't understand…" Zelda whispered. "They wouldn't just betray him like that."

"The Red King has a way of getting in people's heads," Link mumbled.

As the figure grew closer Zelda quietened her breath and thoughts. She wanted to grip onto something but ignored the sensation as her eyes landed on Link's hands.

The steps moved away and the normal quiet noises of the woodland returned. It was as though life itself had been on standby before finally starting up once again.

Link lay back against the bark and Zelda stared across at him waiting for the next instruction, the next ingenious plan or bit of information that would help them along the way. Instead he closed his eyes.

"What do we do now?" Zelda hissed.

"Wait here for a few hours and get out of here before they bring dogs," Link yawned nonchalantly.

"Right… Dogs of course" Zelda breathed, realising she was a fool for expecting Link to calm her down in the slightest.

She rested her back on the root opposite Link and watched his relaxed face silently hating him for it. Nothing had seemed to faze him so far. The average farmer or hunter probably wouldn't be acting so calm in the face of horned riders and horses with glowing eyes.

Whether he was a brave, honourable or just brain dead Zelda wasn't sure but at least to someone this all seemed to make sense. There was a little comfort to gain from that. Silently Zelda was just thankful the hunter hadn't taken the first chance to get as far away from her as possible.

Zelda smiled quietly and whispered, "Thank you," beneath her breath.

As she stared up through the roots she could catch glimpses of the starts gleaming between the leaves. They looked just like they did from home.


	4. Chapter 3: City at the Edge of the World

**A/N: Uploads have been pretty meagre so I'm going to see how I do with a schedule. Every Friday there's going to be a new chapter of this story unless I post an update the week before. I'll reply to the reviews tomorrow sorry I need to sleep now.**

* * *

Chapter 3: A City at the Edge of The world

A deep groan echoed within Zelda's body as Link shook her awake. Despite the sleep, it felt like all strength and let every inch of her body. Aches ran all the way up her legs and arms, which she stretched out painfully. Link gathered up his bag as she attempted to pull all her body back into the real world.

"Eat this," Link said, tossing a slab of some kind of dark meat her way.

It thudded into Zelda's hand and she squeezed it a little. The rough texture barely gave way and felt like it'd be more useful as armour than food.

"Morning to you too," she grumbled poking away at the slab.

As fiddled with it she looked up and realised Link was staring at her impatiently. Zelda hastily took a bite, half expecting her teeth to go with the meat as she tugged a chunk away.

She forced a smile as she felt the piece almost lodge itself in her throat. It felt like a cross between chalk and leather.

Link nodded to her and gestured to follow. She adjusted her cloak a little and attempted to start picking away at the garden in her tangled mess of hair.

"What about the horned guys?" Zelda asked already tripping over the uneven ground.

"We called them phantoms," Link replied, eyes straight ahead.

"Who called them what?" Zelda asked, tripping over another rock.

"Phantoms, they're pretty much invincible. Which makes our lives, and the lives of anyone who's on our side, a whole lot more difficult."

"Of course they are," Zelda muttered, looking around wearily, expecting to see the vacant dark faces through the trees.

Link looked back amused. "Don't worry heavy armour isn't suited well to the terrain. I think they were hoping to cut us off before we could reach any woodland. They'll have returned to send a raiding party to make a proper sweep through the forest. My guess is they don't have too many soldiers up here. The locals aren't the sort you want to piss off."

"Especially you…" Zelda thought to herself quietly.

Link's head suddenly turned a few degrees east and he continued past another few trees. Every few seconds he would pause and place a hand to a tree or to the ground.

Zelda herself hadn't quite realised just how beautiful the trees were. The canopy above was a blast of golden orange and brown leaves, interspersed with the fine green leaves of the pointed evergreens. The floor itself smelled strongly of decay as the earth beneath buried itself beneath blankets of fallen wide leaves.

Her foot caught a root and she tumbled into the hunter. Link caught her at the last minute and allowed her a few seconds to steady herself.

"Watch yourself there," he said before continuing on.

Zelda watched him for a few seconds before following, ignoring the burning in her cheeks.

"For a hunter at the edge of the world you sure know a hell of a lot," she called out to him.

"Comes with the trade I guess," Link stared through the trees absently and then crouched down.

"I guess that's another subject we don't talk about," Zelda thought, moving up beside him and matching his level.

Up a steep slope ahead were the large wooden gates of Svartrjǫrð. A long line of guards spread across the entrance. Each wore a spectacled helmet and held a round shield and spear in each hand.

Hundreds of people queued messily in front of the gates. Some had set up camps along the slopes, others rested against large caravans attached to massive oxen. Those who'd arrived later were less organised, sat on the edge of the road weeping or reaching out to ask for money.

Along with the guards at the front, a well-dressed dignitary held a scroll and quill and seemed to be questioning a family at the front.

"This doesn't look good," Link whispered. "People come to the city to winter with families but never this many. The guards look overwhelmed and some people have settled in on the outside. They must be refusing entry to those without proper holdings."

"Do you think it's because of…"

"Our friend's back there," Link grimaced. "In a weird way I hope so. We really don't need any other troubles on our plate at the moment."

The caravan at the front finally moved through the gate the guards moving to the side. Those that came up behind were almost immediately refused and left to return to their hovel.

"They haven't shut the gates completely," he checked his axe. "That makes things easier."

"What's the plan?" Zelda asked, feeling an odd sense of excitement in her gut. "Are we sneaking in?"

Suddenly noise erupted at the gate. More guards rushed out and hurried along the perimeter of the wall.

A child was attempting to climb the palisade. There was more shouting from the caravans as the bored travellers jumped up to watch, either out of curiosity or just sheer boredom.

The guards surrounded the foot of the wall where the small figure was dangling from and began to yell. From here Zelda couldn't make out the exact words, but she guessed they probably weren't cheering him on.

Noise seemed to grow around the camps and at the gates. The figure continued to climb. All excitement had disappeared from Zelda as she began to feel just as sick as before.

The shouting intensified, then a loud thud. The whole area plunged into silence. A short gasp caught in her throat. She watched the figure fall to the ground and the guards returned to the gate disappearing behind their comrades.

"That answers that question," Link said grimly.

"How could they?" Zelda cried out in disbelief. "They just killed a child."

A handful of refugees began to pull the body back to their camp, a sombre air descending over the hillside. There were a few cries of anguish from the group that cut through the uneasy silence.

"I said things weren't so black and white here but this is wrong even by human standards. Things must be bad on the inside," Link looked across at her. "You need to stay focused. We're in danger out here, both to ourselves and these people. If we don't get in things are going to get way worse around here."

"Right…" Zelda took a deep breath. The sound of that thud seemed to play over and over in her mind. It was like she was back there in Link's hut, hiding in the darkness as Link fought off the guards. She needed to bury the fear, she need to be strong.

Link's hands gripped the sides of her arms firmly and he turned her towards him. He stared down at the ground in reflection, as though the words were swirling around his head but he couldn't quite formulate them.

His eyes finally stared up at her relaxed before returning to their default scowl. It revealed as much about his emotions as a brick wall. Reaching behind he pulled up her hood.

"I need you to keep calm," Link said softly. "I'm going to make sure you stay safe. Just trust me a little."

Zelda nodded.

"Okay follow me," Link lifted his own hood and began to walk towards the path.

Zelda followed, and let out the breath of air she didn't know she'd been holding.

* * *

Every few steps Zelda felt a jolt of panic run through her. Quickly she remembered the hood was up and Link was there. Taking a shaky breath she kept walking forwards

The hunter looked purposefully ahead. With the way he walked, it didn't feel like even the walls could stop him. It was strange not to see him look over his shoulder to check she was okay, the sight had become familiar quickly.

"Look boys we got another," a skinny man said leaning against the side of his wagon. "This one thinks he's some kind of god."

His friends began to laugh but Link seemed utterly unfazed and continued forwards. The hooded back of his head stayed firmly forwards, the only movement coming from the swaying fabric behind him.

"We'll see you in a few then," the man called, to another chorus of laughter from his gang.

It had been some time since Zelda had seen humans this close. Her father had always told her that most of the races of Hyrule and beyond had some admirable qualities. The humans were not among these. He had always deemed them a savage folk, valuing power and fighting above everything else. When Zelda was younger she thought humans were the Hylians at court.

Apart from the ears, they didn't seem much different. Sure there were rough folk but the same went for the hylian gangs in Castletown. It was the mothers that really got to Zelda, the way they held their children as though nothing else mattered. Her mother had died when she was only a child. It was strange how the memory of what she looked like had faded but that golden warm feeling of being held in her arms remained.

Link had said that he hoped it was the advance of the Red King that was sending them in droves here. Selfishly Zelda wished it wasn't. That would mean it was her fault they were struggling, her fault that they were stuck out here waiting for winter. If it was, what gave her the right to bring her troubles to their door?

The hunter approached the man at the gate who looked at him apprehensively before standing straight.

"Get in the line like everyone else," He yelled.

The guard looked a little shocked when Link didn't respond. All across the gate the men tensed up. Link just kept walking forwards until he was only a few feet away from the gatekeeper.

"We need to get in… now," Link said calmly.

The gatekeeper looked to Zelda in shock and then back to Link. He had recoiled significantly as Link stood above him. Was Link making himself bigger? Zelda looked to the side trying to supress a smile. It seemed the way men worked was exactly the same among humans too.

"We…" the gatekeeper adjusted his scroll. "I can't allow that. You'll need to wait in the line like the others."

He let out a short yelp as Link leant in. The other guards readied their weapons. Everything paused as Link whispered something in the man's ear.

Beads of sweat formed almost immediately on the man's forehead. It must've been what Zelda's face looked like when she saw the phantoms.

"Very well," the gatekeeper announced, trying his best to recover his authority. "You may pass through."

There was some grumbling and complaining from behind Zelda but no one spoke up. The guards at the front looked equally annoyed but moved aside as both Link and Zelda walked through the gates.

"Keep your hood up," Link whispered from in front. "We're not safe yet."

The road looked like a market that had never quite ended. Stalls and people covered everywhere in a completely unorganised fashion. From every direction someone was yelling, most of which sounded like swearing.

One man red in the face screamed across at a woman on the other side. "We were supposed to do the stall together."

She screamed back at him even louder, hands placed flat on her table, "That was before you spent the night in the beer hall, never mind the stall you can find a new home too."

A group of children ran away from a guard and laughed as he fell flat on his face. The pointing stopped when he looked up with an enraged muddy face and they scrambled as they lunged after him.

"C'mon I just didn't see the time," he yelled.

The woman's voice impossibly raised another octave, "You said that the last five times."

Zelda avoided a few brown muddles in the road, which was a mixture of mud and stones. Everything seemed so unnaturally natural. The road was just stamped in by years of travel and the houses looked like they had grown up and outwards, sprawling chaotically until not even the gods could stop them.

Some stranger approached Link and asked, "Looking to make a bit of coin friend? You look like just the man I need."

Link shrugged him off and they continued to walk up the street towards the hill at the far end of the settlement. House by house Link shoulder's rolled back to their normal size and he stopped walking so straight.

"Is it always like this?" Zelda asked, the noise slowly beginning to patter out.

"Violence, battering and no regard for you eardrums… yeah," Link chuckled to himself, "Never change Svartrjǫrð."

"I thought you said things must be bad inside the city," Zelda said.

"This is all just the surface. This whole place is like a bomb just ready to go at any moment. All it needs is a spark."

Soon the houses began to thin out not increasing in size but becoming far more elaborate in design. Etched into the wood were large dragon like creatures and serpents the size of mountains. Each one was fighting a humanoid like creature.

Each row of wood portrayed some kind of story. Zelda recognised a few, like the creation giants. She had heard the story when she was a small child.

"_The god Fellr, overlord of the earth saw the other creatures the other gods had created and felt himself flush with envy. He wanted his own race that could worship and honour him, living beings that would be stronger and wiser than anything the other gods good conjure. His ribs were the mountains, so he breathed life into them, making them in his image. These were the first of the giants._

"_They broke away from their mountainous nest creating crevices that soon saw water rush through them filling the lands with its first rivers and lakes. Originally they were goliath size creatures as tall as the mountains they were born from. But after thousands of years their rocky hide fractured and cracked forming the beasts that occupy the land today_."

"What are they like…" Zelda breathed. "The giants."

The hunter continued to walk as though she was just some street urchin following her for coin.

"Like humans but bigger," Link said staring at one of the houses that sat on top of the hill.

Zelda sighed, the gnawing feeling of wonder disappearing as quickly as it had come up.

Eventually Link came to a stop in front of a gate at the base of the hill. The two guards stared at him scrupulously. They wore similar armour to the men at the front but their cloaks were an earthen green.

Link looked around the quiet street and then carefully pulled down his hood. Their eyes widened a little in surprise and the taller guard whispered to his friend and rushed off up the hill.

"Arne will be happy to see you sir," he bowed his head and opened the gate gesturing for the two of them to step inside.

The hunter nodded to him and looked at Zelda's confused face as though he was looking for something in it. Then they followed the path up the hill towards the hall perched on top.

Unlike within the city centre the air here was almost as fresh as the open country. Green grass blanketed the hillside, cut short by the grazing sheep and goats.

Huts stood by the fences and enclosures that lined the way up to the main hall. As Zelda walked she looked back over the city once again. It was so unlike anything she'd ever seen before, like she'd walked into some other world. From up here it looked almost calm.

So many questions swirled around. About this place, most of all about Link, but something in the air demanded silence and she knew he would give no answers. Still Zelda was unable to shake the feeling that she was walking in the dark, just like caverns of her dreams.

"Link!" a deep but warm voice called out. A black haired bearded man flanked by guards and a red haired woman clambered down the steps and strode towards Link.

Zelda's breath caught in her body as she noticed the hulking figure leant heavily on his sword. He was twice the size of a fully grown man and far bulkier. All across his body clad armour that seemed to be made of stone itself. Only a long beard could be seen protruding from the spectacled horned helmet and brown kind eyes looked out from beneath them.

It was one of them, the giants. The beasts that barely any Hylians even believed existed, let alone seen. Zelda almost unmistakably felt the creature's eyes on her.

The two men slammed into each other like a cannon ball into a wall, the man letting out a joyful cry. They touched their foreheads together before the man took a proper look at him.

"I never thought I'd see you again," he said joyfully. "You were just a boy when I last saw you but now look at you."

"It's good to see you too Arne," Link said, betraying nothing in his voice.

Arne looked over to Zelda with confusion. Grey was creeping into his black hair and the skin around his eyes had begun to crack like dried earth. Still he looked strong, he stood tall even over Link, though the wolf's pelt he wore around his back seemed to add size.

"Who's your friend," he asked.

"We need to talk Arne," Link said grimly.

Arne nodded, "You're right there little one."

Just before they reached the doors the giant thumped over and grabbed Link in a tight hug. The hunter almost let out a yelp before he was lowered.

"You will not leave us again brother," it boomed in a deep voice. "Find me later and we will remove these stupid thoughts from your head."

"Sure Rolf," Link half grumbled before smiling sheepishly.

Arne and his men led the two of them into the hall. The Giant Rolf thundered down the road towards the gate. Zelda still stared awestruck at the sheer size of it. When she'd been a little girl she'd been terrified by the Gorons. In time she came to learn that they were a soft as the soil of Hyrule field.

Still these creatures were not the traditional big and simple minded stereotype she'd grown up with. Rolf very presence commanded an ancient respect. He was a creature that had lived for centuries and his eyes had been filled with experience.

Orange light glowed brightly around the hall, thrown around from the stone hearth at the centre. In the far side of the longhouse a chair stood looking across the lines of tables across the hall. The heat was almost unbearable with the cloak on but as though reading her mind Link nodded to her and Zelda quickly shed the extra layers.

All across the hall the men and women stared a little at Zelda but mostly at Link, whispering amongst themselves.

Arne gestured to table next to the hearth and sat next to the red haired woman. Link and Zelda sat opposite. All the companions of the hall thinned out into the various rooms or the open air outside. Eventually the four of them were left alone.

"I don't think I have to guess who your companion is," Arne stared at Zelda directly. "Word reached us yesterday morning. Hyrule has fallen and the Red King has demanded we pay fealty, just like my ancestors did to the ancient kings of Hyrule. Most of all though he wants a Hylian girl seen fleeing north into these lands."

Link watched him cautiously, "Arne this is—"

"The princess Zelda," Arne stood and bowed. "This is my wife Olga."

Olga and Zelda shared a polite smile as Arne walked over to the nearby wall and stared at the tapestry depicting some kind of battle.

"I was there in the first war when the red king rose up," he said grimly. "It feels so long ago now. Our world was so different then.

He chuckled to himself, "The world of men knew the odds then, that the whole world laid at fates door. So we rode south with your father, unified against what we deemed as evil and we fought bitterly against it. Every single one of us was willing to give our lives to do what was necessary, for ourselves and our people.

"I knew it wasn't over, that we'd have to prepare. But as soon as our men returned to the city everything went wrong. Instead of unifying half the houses buried their heads in the ground. Instead of fighting the monsters in the mountains we fought among ourselves. When the time came to ride south again we weren't even prepared to leave the city," he sighed. "I did not expect him to return this soon."

Link stared at Arne pitifully as the man leaned into the wall. Despite his size and strength he looked old, like all the energy had been sapped from him.

Link then spoke up, "You know what's coming Arne. Why are the people being stopped outside of the city? In a few weeks those hills will be painted with your peoples' blood. You need to gather them up and cross the mountains."

Arne did not reply.

"My husband has tried all he can but the Earl will not listen," Olga said grimly, "The other houses fear our influence and have persuaded him to stay and reason with the Red King. At the moment we cannot leave even with our own household."

"I'm in a bad way my friend," Arne said gently. "You have already done so much for me and my family but I must ask for your aid once more."

Link stared down at the table, deep in thought. He looked as though he would stay there for hours, memorising the swirls and imperfections.

He looked up, "Do you have it?"

Arne nodded a small smile inching across his lips, "Yes. Your father's shield is also—"

"Not the shield," Link said firmly. "It doesn't belong to me."

"He would've wanted you to have it," Arne said as though the exchange had been practiced forty times.

"I haven't earned it, not yet," Link stood quickly. "I'll be waiting outside."

Arne nodded to a few guards who hurried off. "In the meantime we will set you up in a room princess. I swear you will be safe with us while Arne Lungbard still has air in his lungs."

The royal etiquette kicked in like muscle memory and Zelda smiled and curtsied before saying, "That is very kind of you."

"I'm not safe with anyone," she thought. "And no one is safe with me."

"You may follow me princess," Olga said leading her off towards one of the door lining the hall.

Before Zelda walked through she looked back towards the entrance, as Link slammed through the doors and into the daylight.

* * *

Walking into the spacious room, Zelda realised just how tired she still was. The bed at the centre looked more than inviting and the fire in the corner reminded her of home again.

"I'll fetch you some new clothes and get a maid to run you a bath," Olga said tidying a little. "Then you'll probably need sleep. I can't imagine the journey you had to go through."

"Thank you," Zelda smiled. "You have a beautiful home."

The woman looked at her with sympathy and walked over to perch on the bed.

"I know how strange this must be for you," Olga said gesturing for her to sit with her on the edge of the bed. "When I first came here I found it a cold and miserable place."

"I was more thinking about the giant," Zelda said.

"I almost forgot," Olga laughed. "Rolf has a way of making you forget about his size."

Zelda looked above the mantle and saw the shield mounted there. It was just like the ones of the Hylian knights she'd seen in her study books.

"That's…"

"A Hylian knight's shield," Olga said. "It belonged to Link's father before he died in the war."

"His father was a knight?" Zelda asked.

"I'm guessing he hasn't told you much."

"That's an understatement, I know more about what's under the mountains than what I know about Link," Zelda grumbled

"He's complicated to say the least." Olga stared across at the shield, "Past the fells to the east there is an ancient forest which is home to people as old as the trees themselves. It's a place where time doesn't work properly. The people stay in this kinda limbo. Link's mother left him there when he was a small child."

"He grew up without knowing his parents?" Zelda looked at her in shock.

"He met his father just months before the knight died. Time moves differently there, by the time he'd left the forest the red king had risen and Link rode with Arne against him."

"What?!"

"They say he was just a small boy when he entered. To most he is just a legend but Arne knows the truth. Link was struck down with his father and was returned to the forest to recover. Even most of my people still believe it to be a legend, a boy in green fighting against the heart of darkness."

"But that'd make him…"

"Not quite as I said time works very differently. Link is still barely an adult, yet what he has accomplished is extraordinary"

"Why hasn't he told me this?" Zelda asked half wondering herself. The skills, the knowledge it all made sense now. Her hands began to ball the quilts.

"He's lived in a hut for the past four years. Something tells me he doesn't want me to relive the past," Olga suddenly grabbed Zelda's arm firmly "Listen… please. I'd not mention any of this. Men like Link, they're not really there anymore. They're as gone as the phantoms that chase them. It will only bring you pain to think otherwise."

Zelda stared at her icy blue eyes for a few moments. The words rained down like fire, wreaking havoc in her head.

"Now it's time you clean up and get some rest," Olga said. "There'll be much to do tomorrow."

Zelda nodded and yawned words suddenly becoming tiresome to her. The bed seemed to be eagerly calling.

* * *

It felt nice to finally wake up without being shaken or having that deep inner panic. Though all her muscles ached sending a tightening rush of feeling as she rose, they didn't feel so drained anymore.

New clothes were at the edge of her bed. Sure they were plain and coloured with a mixture of browns and grey but by the three was she glad to have clothes that weren't covered in mud. Even her hand tailored travel clothes seemed less comfortable in comparison. These northerners sure found a way to make the bitter lands around them as liveable as possible.

The fire had died to a low dim glow and she strode across the room towards it. She poked at the embers and they responded glowing happily at her. Above her head the Hylian shield caught her eyes again.

All those things Olga had said still hadn't settled. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him. Every time she considered it the words echoed through her head.

"_Men like Link. They're not really there anymore. It will bring you only pain to think otherwise._"

Her eyes returned to the fire as the thoughts overtook her again. They led ever downwards in a spiral until they all fused into one confused bundle of emotion and words.

Eventually a noise from outside caught her attention. It was a singing soft and mellow, in a language she had never even heard. Zelda approached the door on the other side and cracked it open a little.

The night air snaked in quickly. It rustled through the tapestries and fabrics of the room and the fire cracked furiously in response to the intruder.

Outside she saw where the singing was coming from.

Only his back was illuminated by the fires of Arne's home but from here it was clearly Link. He was leant on a fence looking over the lands to the west of Svartrjǫrð. The gleaming orange light glanced past in the edge of his sword. Link ran a cloth over it polishing it down. Its edge was flawless and though it was far plainer then most of the Hylian armoury there was a certain elegance to it that could not be matched.

Link's cloak was covered in blood. Zelda didn't want to know what it was from but felt sorry for whoever was at the other end of that blade. If he could be vicious with a wood-axe, a honed sword would make him an executioner.

The singing itself was beautiful, quite unlike the common tongue of the humans or the dialects all over Hyrule. As the tale spoke out into the night the words mixed and mingled in ways quite unlike anything she'd heard. There seemed to be no pause in the language just a continuous movement, like smoke in the air.

Zelda stood and watched until her eyes felt tired again and she let her eyes close just feeling the night air on her face.

Suddenly the hall erupted with noise behind. Clanging and shouting could be heard and Zelda rushed over to the inner door opening it fully.

Arne was sat on his chair, Rolf by his side. Men had flooded the hall shouting.

"The earl is dead, killed this morning," one of them shouted. "By decree, you are the earl now Arne."

Arne stared out silently for some time. There was no a hint of pleasure across his face, only a lingering pain.

"He ordered the earl's death, don't you think we see past your schemes _Lungbard_. This is all just a power play and the other houses won't have it," a red bearded man screamed from the far end of the hall.

"Yes I am Earl," he said quietly muting the whole hall. "I am earl of a city soon to be ash and blood. This is our only chance, raise the banners get as many ready and on the road as possible, we leave at first light for the Fells."

There was a hum of confusion and more yelling.

"There will be no discussion," Arne yelled. "It's only a matter of time before the other moron houses decide they don't want me here and personally invite our red friend into our homes."

"And what's wrong with that Arne?" The man at the back screamed. "The only reason he's interested is because you keeping the princess and that thug of a hunter, if we hand them both over the Red King will leave us alone."

One voice cried out, "Our homes are here, our families."

"Aye they are," Arne replied. "And this brings me no pleasure. But if we don't leave quickly we are all dead. It doesn't matter what we do for the Red King. He doesn't give a damn about peace with us and the time to unite and fight is long past. All we have left to do is run now and save what family we have left."

There was some more murmuring. Some seemed to be nodding others seemed to look beyond annoyed.

Arne spoke up again, "At first light the caravan will assemble at the front gates. Those who wish to join us are welcome. The rest of you can fight over the ashes, I just don't care anymore."

The room fully erupted into noise as Arne returned to his room flanked by guards.

There were but a few hours till morning, and the comfort Zelda had already become used to, was about to be torn out from under her feet.


End file.
